Dubuque, Iowa (CNN) – Continuing an increasingly heated campaign exchange on the topic of Medicare, President Obama defended his record here on Wednesday against attacks from his Republican rivals that he has cut benefits to seniors.

“I think they know their plan’s not very popular,” the president said. “You can tell that because they’re being pretty dishonest about my plan, especially by the way when it comes to Medicare. Now this is something I’ve got to point out here because they are just throwing everything at the wall to see if it sticks.”
Obama said that his rivals’ plan would turn Medicare into a “voucher system,” an idea formerly proposed by Ryan but not specifically endorsed in Romney’s campaign platform.

“That means seniors would no longer have the guarantee of Medicare,” Obama argued. “They’d get a voucher to buy private insurance, and because the voucher wouldn’t keep up with costs, the plan offered by Governor Romney’s running mate, Congressman Ryan, would force seniors to pay an extra $6,400 a year and I assume they don’t have it.”

The Romney campaign contends that their candidates’ plan for Medicare reform is a “premium support system,” unlike the plan offered by Ryan in Congress, and it argues in both advertisements and statements that the president has damaged the popular entitlement program by cutting $716 billion from Medicare to pay for “Obamacare.”

While the Obama campaign disputes the veracity of this claim, the president didn’t get bogged down by the details on Wednesday.

“Here’s what you need to know,” the president told a crowd of 3,000. “I have strengthened Medicare. I have made reforms that have saved millions of seniors with Medicare hundreds of dollars on their prescription drugs. I’ve proposed reforms that will save Medicare money by getting rid of wasteful spending in the health care system, reforms that will not touch your Medicare benefits, not by a dime.”

Obama went on to argue that those reforms have “already extended Medicare by nearly a decade.”

“Their plan ends Medicare as we know it,” the president said. “My plan reduces the costs of Medicare by cracking down on fraud and waste and subsidies to insurance companies. Their plan makes seniors pay more so they can give another tax cut to millionaires and billionaires. That’s the difference between our plans on Medicare.”

Campaigning with his wife for the first time since officially kicking off his reelection bid on May 5th, the president and first lady also reminisced about their memories of the Hawkeye State from his 2008 caucus victory.

“Iowa was our very first experience with a national campaign, truly,” Michelle Obama said while introducing her husband. “It is because of all of you that Malia and Sasha still think campaigning is fun.”

The campaign often refers to the first lady as the most effective messenger of the president’s policies, and in her introduction she tried to personalize her message in an effort to connect with middle-class voters. Recounting financial hardships endured by the president’s mother and the sexist discrimination suffered by his grandmother, Mrs. Obama told the crowd that her husband was a man who understood them.

“So what I remind people is that your president knows what it means when a family struggles,” she said, seeming to highlight the vastly different upbringings of the two presidential candidates. “This is not a hypothetical situation for him. He knows what it means to want something better for your kids and your grandkids.”

Entitlement junkies are like crackheads, they'll do anything to get a fix.

August 16, 2012 at 12:11 pm |

Howard

NEWS FLASH ... all Americans should hate the obama deception, lies, thievery, divisiveness, and hypocrisy, which is turning one half of America against the other half ... while systematically destroying our economy

August 16, 2012 at 1:58 pm |

Moderate

It's really quite unbelievable that Romney is trying to say Obamacare guts medicare. Obamacare still offers the same guaranteed benefits, but produces SAVINGS by eliminating waste, fraud, and overpayment to providers/insurers, and then it takes those savings and puts them into healthcare benefits like early screening for cancer etc. You have to admit, the Romney campaign is onto some evil, clever crud, right from the playbook of Karl Rove. Take your enemy's strength and lie as much as you have to in order to make it a weakness.

August 15, 2012 at 5:10 pm |

bb

Lets talk lies, ill close gitmo, ill cut def. in half or wont run again, the public sector is fine, ill cut unemp to 6% or not run, u didnt build it, There is not enough memory on any computer to type in Oblunders lies, U really dont believe mr inept do you?????? Lets hope biden becomes pres one day

August 16, 2012 at 10:18 am |

RealityBites

Obama removes money from Medicare but requires benefits to stay the same. A progressive utopian view of reality that is not based in facts and has no chance of success.

Ryan's budget proposal would retain a traditional fee-for-service Medicare option, <-please read again, and again if you still believe the Obama hate..
And also allow insurers to offer seniors a range of other choices. which would have to provide benefits equivalent to traditional Medicare. <- Read again, and again if you still believe the Obama hate.
The government would provide a so-called "premium support" payment that would cover the cost of either traditional Medicare or the second-least expensive insurer's plan, whichever is less. Seniors can pay for additional coverage, such as dental or vision benefits. –CNN Money

The only blatant lie was "backed a bill that outlaws all abortions, even in cases of rape and incest." The truth is that it was actually backed by Paul Ryan

August 16, 2012 at 3:33 pm |

fran

under medicare you have to pay for dental and vision, under the Advantage plan you get vision, I today have to pay for dental, I do not want to have to worry about my medicare, I worked all my life and this is something that I paid in for,

October 8, 2012 at 7:05 pm |

john

you must be very stupid. my employer is stopping my health care coverage because of obamacare.

August 24, 2012 at 2:04 pm |

john

I dislike the tone from both sides. That said, I have real issue with the way Romney is managing him self. I think the big difference from past Prez races is that for the first time a person running for office will literally lie about just about anything. Normally, this is left to over zealous aides and 3rd parties. It really looks like Romney is not up for the job. How can a person expect to deal with others when he personally says what he says. There is a big difference when an adide says something vs. when the person running says something. It is really a character flaw in Romney that could impact everyone. Can you image what he'll do with foriegn policy?

August 15, 2012 at 5:12 pm |

bb

Dude OBLAMEO HAS BEEN LYING TO U PEOPLE FOR OVER THREE YEARS R U REALLY THAT DUMB NOT TO SEE THIS.

August 16, 2012 at 10:19 am |

Caramon

You mean something like when the leader of the Senate makes a claim about something he doesn't know is true, has no supporting facts but says it anyway? How about an ad that claims a man's wife developed cancer right after he was fired? Right after as in 5 years. I guess those things are okay.

August 16, 2012 at 4:47 pm |

meCa.go

Even reTarD Biden foreign policy would be better than O!bama.
RR foreign policy will be an asset not just for the US but for the whole world

August 16, 2012 at 11:50 pm |

Kenny K

Romney is distancing himself from Ryan's plan while Democrats are attacking Ryan's plan. That way, Ryan is alone to defend his plan by himself, the GOP ticket's focus is split.

August 15, 2012 at 5:20 pm |

italmn

listen, we still have medicare and it is the same as it was, nothing has been done to it period. The money Pres. Obama took from it ? He put it in the Afordable Care Act (aka) Obama Care. That's fine. When Obama care is all the way kicked in medicare costs will go way down because EVERYONE has to BUY health insurance period. So the Republicans, T-Party, Right Wing, Concertives, Racist, Homo-Phobs, are going to have to deal with it weather they like it or not. The Supreme Court has spoken !

August 15, 2012 at 5:26 pm |

bb

Good luck with that u DEMOPUKE

August 16, 2012 at 10:15 am |

Frank Marshall Davis

Medicare IS going broke, there's no way around it. Obama "appropriated" 700bil from medicare, put it towards Obamacare then double counted the money. It's all a big shell game and Obama thinks you'll never see it. The deluded sheep like sonny chapman and KennyK won't even bother to check into it, they'll simply accept Obama's word 100% without question. Obama is a God to them and therefore cannot ever make a mistake, it's sad really that people worship a man who has lied on several occasions. Oh well, you CAN fool some of the people ALL of the time, especially if they WANT to be fooled.

August 15, 2012 at 5:29 pm |

Cynthia L.

@FRANK
The REFORM to our healthcare system has begun. And, the 716 BILLION IS NOT A BENEFIT CUT TO ANYONE.

It is targeted at waste from INSURANCE COMPANIES _ DRUG COMPANIES and the way DOCTORS and HOSPITALS ADMINISTRATION COSTS that consumers have been paying for OVER-BILLING, OVER – PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS and records keeping that promote errors.

STOP LYING – It just proves you are a desperate cow-flop.

August 15, 2012 at 6:21 pm |

Frank Marshall Davis

You'll believe anything won't you? The Doc fix was also removed by Obamacare, that's another 4billion. You simply can't just remove 1 trillion and then tell people, hey I'm saving you 1 trillion while at the same time just adding to the debt. I know in Obama math 2+2=50billion but that's not reality.

August 15, 2012 at 6:53 pm |

Face the facts

So your arguement is that medicare has 716 billion dollars in wasteful, administrative cost and argue that more government-run healthcare is part of the solution? 716 billion dollars will in fact be taken from medicare to pay for obamacare. I understand the liberals will claim it comes from eliminating waste. But use common sense. No one in government eliminates waste, ever. If you think that money comes from cost savings in medicare administration, would you not concede that Obamacare would be incredibly more wasteful (since it is much larger than medicare).

August 15, 2012 at 9:34 pm |

Howard

As usual you neglect to mention all the billions and billions of hard earned tax dollars squandered by Obama. In addition to the 5 1/2 TRILLION he has run up, no one quite knows where the Trillion dollar tarp money went. The size of our government has ballooned out of control, and Obama's cronies in the green industries have pissed away billions. As a result, our economy is going south, unemployment is at 8.3% ... and the Obama destruction and lying continues.

August 15, 2012 at 10:59 pm |

Armyvet129

Frank is exactly right. Just listen to what Mr. Obama is telling you. He's stealing from a plan that is going broke to finance a plan that no one wants. When people ask Mr. Obama why he took so much money he justifies it by telling people he didn't take the money, he's going to make it up with imaginary money that may or may not be there. These so called savings are CUTS pure and simple. Every time a Republican mentions a cut it's killing granny and every time Mr. OBama does it's eliminating waste and fraud. You are really that blind are you? Please wise up, there's an important election coming.

August 16, 2012 at 7:23 am |

bb

Cindy once again, your education level shows, I suggest u leave the trailer and get some fresh air.

August 16, 2012 at 10:14 am |

Jill

You're explanation is correct that it is not a medicare benefit cut, but rather targeted waste cuts that hospitals and drug companies have agreed to in the Affordable Care Act. In return, they expect to drive down costs because of "covered health care services" rather than incur the unpaid services that they have had to provide to uninsureds. Two financial experts from MIT explained this in detail on national television last night. It made sense and they have first hand knowledge of the facts on how it works because they were involved in the negotiations for the cuts.

August 16, 2012 at 11:14 am |

Cynthia L.

The cuts aren't to Medicare you TWEEBS. They ae cuts to the insurance co, drug co. and mickey mouse record keeping by PRIVARE DOCTORS and HOSPITALS.
Anything that keeps those guys rich and you paying more is what YOU SUPPORT.

MEDICARE IS BEING REFORMED AS WE SPEAK AND WILL SURVIVE BECAUSE OF IT!!!!!! AND, BENEFITS TO THE CONSUMER SURVIVE !!!!!!

August 16, 2012 at 12:10 pm |

RealityBites

Obama's cut Medicare moneys but expects benefits to stay the same.
A very expensive utopian view of reality that has no chance of success. Much like the rest of Obama's policies..

The Mitt Romney campaign has a new talking point that it’s hitting hard: President Obama “robbed” Medicare of $716 billion to help pay for his health-care reform legislation. Is this assertion accurate?

Well, it is true that the Affordable Care Act – known to some as Obamacare – would reduce spending on Medicare by $716 billion from 2013 to 2022, according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis. It is also true that this reduction is used to offset spending on other ACA provisions.

However, the ACA does not literally lop this figure off Medicare’s bottom line. Most of these reductions would occur due to the fact that the law makes changes meant to lower future costs for the big health-care program for seniors.

For instance, the ACA cuts many of the payments Medicare makes in its fee-for-service system to hospitals, nurses, and other health-care providers. (Doctors would not be affected by this payment squeeze.) According to CBO, over the 10-year period it measured, Medicare payments for hospital services would go down by $260 billion, for instance. Payments for skilled nursing services would go down by $39 billion and for home health services by $33 billion.

August 16, 2012 at 6:31 pm |

Michael

CNN, where is analysis, journalism and reporting on Paul Ryans hypocrisy ON THE STIMULUS, VOTED FOR PROGRAMS AND WARS THAT ADDED 5.1 TRILLION TO THE DEFICIT, AND EARMARKS, fuzzy math and leanings to insure the super wealthy like Mitt Robme get more tax cuts! Even David Stockman, Reagans former budget director says, Paul Ryan's budget is a "fairy tale." He also goes on to say, its devoid of credible math or hard policy choices, will do nothing to reverse economic decline, and that Ryan has a "fetish for cutting taxes on the super wealthy! i am excited also to tell the truth about this repuglican hypocrite!

August 15, 2012 at 5:39 pm |

RealityBites

Whose Medicare plan cuts more? -CNNMoney
Although CNN's so-called analysis, journalism and reporting about "WHO CUTS MORE" clearly ignores the main concerns on which plan is best for the long term viability of Medicare.

August 16, 2012 at 3:20 pm |

Richard Jones

Look at the photo of da Kingfish !!! Look at the hate in his eyes ! This ni99er is fixin' to blow in a big way !!!

August 15, 2012 at 5:40 pm |

Cynthia L.

When they branded that KKK mark on your butt, did it hurt much?

August 16, 2012 at 12:12 pm |

Richard Jones

Look at the photo of da Kingfish !!! Look at the hate in his eyes ! This ni99er is fixin' to blowup in a big way !!!

August 15, 2012 at 5:42 pm |

Ty

People don’t understand this is the most important election. The 21st century is at risk with Romney and Ryan. There is a choice, so please put your thinkers cap on. Over the last 3 years we have watch the REP and the GOP in action, the party of NO. Reason to make President Obama a one term president. From the start, so that was there mission and still is. The Rep ., was willing to do and say anything to make this happen. But the sadness of them all they were willing to destroy American People lives under the bus, no matter at what cost. Now they want us to think that they are for the people. How dump do they think we are ? Romney is a business thug. Yes his work was legal but at all cost. He did not care who it hurt, because he wanted to line his pockets. He did have the power to give a little to those companies, but Romney wanted all or nothing. He don’t want to share his taxes with us because we already know he did not pay nothing. He talks about Obama Care but his MA care was the blue print of Obama Care (Affordable Act). Now he pick Ryan , the one who want to do away with the big three. They claim the president to away 700bil, away from senior and that is a LIE, to took away 700bil from the providers. R&R plan will take away 700bil., from seniors. This is black and white . Obama takes away from provider and R&R plan takes away from seniors. They also claim that they are trying to protect our children, yea right. The voucher system is a system to take the big 3 off the map, because it won’t work and they know that. The voucher plan will take out of pockets expense from senior as premium goes up the vouchers will go down so the plan fail. That is want they want. It get me when you have RICH people trying to fix our retirement when they don’t have to worry. This is all a smoke screen and they are working overtime. For those who believe in this BS, please think again. Even if you have monies. Let say you error 250 a year, nice 401 and saving. Do you want you retirement monies to go for you medical expense ? Unless you have millions than it would not matter. Am just upset because these GOPers’ think that we are really stupid. That they can buy the election and pay the American people. Please do not let the cop rate world rule this great country. Let get out there and vote for out rights and do the right thing……….

August 15, 2012 at 6:12 pm |

Ty

People don’t understand this is the most important election. The 21st century is at risk with Romney and Ryan. There is a choice, so please put your thinkers cap on. Over the last 3 years we have watch the REP and the GOP in action, the party of NO. Reason to make President Obama a one term president. From the start, so that was their mission and still is. The Rep ., were willing to do and say anything to make this happen. But the sadness of them all they were willing to destroy American People at any cost. Now they want us to think that they are for the people. How dump do they think we are ? Romney is a business thug. Yes his work was legal but at any cost. He did not care who it hurt, because he wanted to line his pockets. He did have the power to give a little to those companies, but Romney wanted all or nothing. He don’t want to share his taxes with us because we already know he did not pay nothing. He talks about Obama Care but his MA care was the blue print of Obama Care (Affordable Act). Now he picks Ryan , the one who wants to do away with the big three. They claim the president took away 700bil, from seniors and that is a LIE, he took away 700bil from the providers. R&R plan will take away 700bil., from seniors. This is black and white . Obama takes away from providers and R&R plan takes away from seniors. They also claim that they are trying to protect our children, yea right. The voucher system is a system to take the big 3 off the map, because it won’t work and they know that. The voucher plan will take out of pockets expenses from senior as premium goes up the vouchers will go down so the plan fails . That is want they want. It get me when you have RICH people trying to fix our retirement when they don’t have to worry. This is all a smoke screen and they are working overtime. For those who believe this BS, please think again. Even if you have monies. Let say your yearly salary is 250 a year, nice 401 and saving. Do you want your retirement monies to go for your medical expenses ? Unless you have millions it would not matter. Am just upset because these GOPers’ think that we are really stupid. That they can buy the election and buy the American people. Please do not let the cop rate world rule this great country. Let get out there and vote for out rights and do the right thing……….

August 15, 2012 at 6:28 pm |

Frank Marshall Davis

I have thought about it Ty and the only conclusion is that Obama is a liar, Biden is a dunce and you are deluded.

August 15, 2012 at 6:54 pm |

bb

Hey stupid, do U really believe that crap u wrote ??? educate your mind and a$$ will follow. Try to keep up plain and simple OBLUNDER AINT GETTING IT DONE

August 16, 2012 at 9:56 am |

Caramon

Ty, where do you come up with all of your information. Have you researched the issues at all. Let's consider allowing tax cuts for those making over 250K to expire. According to the CBO, not Romney, not Ryan, it will increase government revenue by 700 billion dollars OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS. That would average 70 billion a year. The deficit is still growing at a rate of more than 1 trillion a year. Simple math would show that this will not decrease the deficit. The amount in terms of spending is negligible.

Why is it people believe that increasing dependency on the government is a good thing?

By the way, while at Bain, Romney and Bain supported a new company prior to 1999. It started as only one shop. Today, they report 88,000 employees. Bain created a significant number of jobs for businesses with potential success. The name of the store is Office Depot.

August 16, 2012 at 4:34 pm |

dallas gal

You are correct. Common sense tells you and all reports indicate social security is going broke. This is FDR's best ponzi scheme...average life span was less than 60 years and 16 people contributing. This is why we need business people in congress who plan for the future. The majority of congress has never had a real job, owned a business, etc.. We need to elect new people and get rid of the people who have been there for years. Term limits is what this country needs.

August 18, 2012 at 3:31 pm |

zapper

Agreed, Ty.

August 16, 2012 at 6:26 pm |

Bootstomper

Frank Marshall Davis You can actually think for yourself?

August 15, 2012 at 7:04 pm |

Frank Marshall Davis

I do it all the time, that's why I have a good job and have never even been on unemployment. You probably can't say the same and no doubt worship at the Obama altar.

Biden again today, "'Folks, where's it written we cannot lead the world in the 20th century in making automobiles?," - Doesn't Joe realize yet we're in the 21st? This guy is an idiot, no way around it.

Yes Cynthia. A century is 100 years long. The 20th century began in 1900 and ended in 1999. The zero counts as 1.

August 16, 2012 at 4:39 pm |

Cynthia L.

I took his comment to have been in referrence to the car industry's rise. My mind has been on Bonnie and Clyde this morning after my brother made a comment about the Baby-faced Nelson chase scene in "Oh-Brother-Where-Art-Thou' relating to the chase scenes in the movie "Bonnie and Clyde" hearing that Clyde Barrow had written Henry Ford a glowing report on his cars.
I looked it up on the net and found an article coming from the FREE 20th Century Newsletter – which goes on to tell the story of the letter. I hope ya'll don't mind but, I thought it was fun.

Living life on the run, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow had their preferences in the cars that they stole. Wanting a car that could out maneuver and OUT RUN any of the police cars chasing them. Being a skilled driver, Clyde was so impressed with the car that offered both speed and comfort (they slept in the cars quite often while on the run),that he wrote Henry Ford a letter dated April 10, 1934. He goes-
Dear Sir,
While I still have got breath in my lungs I will telll you what a dandy car you make.
I have drove Fords excusively when I could get away with one.
For sustained speed and freedom from trouble the Ford has got every other car skinned.
And even if my business hasn't been strickly legal it don't hurt anything to tell you what a
fine car you got in the V-8
Yours truly,
Clyde Champion Barrow
(The letter is currently on display at the HenryFord Museum in Dearborn, MI) WHAT A HOOT!!

August 16, 2012 at 8:37 pm |

november2012

obama can't even write a book without lying and distorting facts to enhance his image... he has to use a teleprompter in lieu of speaking from the heart (like Ryan and Romney do)...and we are supposed to believe anything he says...i just don't think so...that is unless I'm stupid!

August 15, 2012 at 8:00 pm |

Gibson

Wow... okay, so a teleprompter isn't some man in the back typing up words as the spokesman speaks. It is a speech written and approved by the speaker, it is used to reduce the amount of mistakes said, as in every speech. If Big Ole Joe would have reviewed his a little better he wouldn't have said 20th century. It is like bringing note cards to the podium, but this is a better way of doing so. You want them to do away with it, in a society where one mistake is put on the internet and TV where it is poked and prodded for years later. And it seems like you are trying to have them go up there and do what Matt Damon did in the Adjustment Bureau. I hope that wasn't your intention. This being said I'm not defending them, just the use of teleprompters.

August 16, 2012 at 1:35 am |

november2012

you must stop living through movies...and get into the real world.

August 16, 2012 at 5:35 pm |

zapper

Re: lying. Proof?

August 16, 2012 at 6:27 pm |

JOE

Obama loses big in Nov.

August 15, 2012 at 9:43 pm |

MaryM

Joe, you are going to be so sad in NOV 2012

August 16, 2012 at 1:17 am |

zapper

Yea, I'm afraid it might be a disappointing November for you.

August 16, 2012 at 6:28 pm |

Show us the Taxes

Hey Frank you probably belong to a union or have a government job right? lol

August 15, 2012 at 10:19 pm |

bb

Dude what is wrong with you??? are that stupid u think Oblunder has done anything productive. OBLAMEO THE INEPTNESS EVER IN WHITE HOUSE

August 16, 2012 at 10:07 am |

dallas gal

Obama is a liar and wants to destroy America. After all he was raised by Communits. How about his friends...Bill Ayres,
Reverand Wriight, etc.. He had the bust of Winston Churchill removed from Oval Office, gave Queen Elizabeth Ipod of his speaches, dismantled our space agencies, no oil drilling, no coal, etc.. Who wants a President who believes in voter fraud. Dems are challenging states who are requiring a photo ID shouldn't be required to vote. God Bless America and we will get our great country back in November.

August 15, 2012 at 11:18 pm |

Cynthia L.

You pretty much are running around with your pants on fire Dallas.
Obama was raised by Communists? There's no proof of that.
Obama dismantled the space program? NEWSFLASH – We just landed the MARS ROVER CURIOSITY the most complicated piece of equipment in history on,....wait for it,...MARS! WE have ON ORDER 3 NEW SHUTTLES in partnership with AMERICAN COMPANIES. NASA'S planning exploration of near-earth asteriods and a planned MANNED-MISSION to MARS .
Obama has opened more drilling in the Gulf (which I personally disagree with) AND exploration for oil in the North Pole.

Oh yeah, there is NO CLEAN COAL TECHNOLOGY AT PRESENT which until they find a way to make it that way is harming our planet.
VOTER FRAUD is the Republicans LAME EXCUSE for their OVER-REACHING VOTER SUPPRESSION.
I don't know if you were thining you were helping Mitt here, but several people that have just read your post are in DISBELIEF that you could be so willing to write such crap.

August 16, 2012 at 12:01 pm |

zapper

Almost everything you posted is a lie, and more than half the voters in America know it.

August 16, 2012 at 6:29 pm |

John

Romney/Ryan want to make Medicare a voucher system. Many seniors will die as a result since they could not afford the cost when they get sick. This is the Romney/Ryan voucher death panel plan for Seniors soon coming to a town and city near you.

August 15, 2012 at 11:47 pm |

bb

U comment without reading, typical DEMOCRAP, Hey stupid the voucher is an option, there are others. Unlike Oblunder care (its not a Tax) Hust like Oblameo cant do nothing so better start lying

August 16, 2012 at 9:59 am |

Steveo

OK one more time! Vouchers are OPTIONAL and ONLY for those who were born in 1958 or later! You believed in "Hope and Change" yet you find ths hard to believe?

August 16, 2012 at 11:16 am |

Cynthia L.

You are once again skipping-like a- stone over some important details ABOUT SENIOR CARE in the RYAN PLAN.
It is that SENIORS after the limit of $7000 will be given A VOUCHER for additional care THEY HAVE TO FIND ON THE OPEN MARKET – AND if they REPEAL Obamacare there is NO GUARANTEES an insurance company won't REJECT them for PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.
The Obama plan ALREADY PROTECTS ALL CONSUMERS from being denied coverage.

So basically you, Steveo are wiping your brow in relief that you won't HAVE TO WAIT TIL AGE 67 TO RETIRE to collect Social Security UNDER THE RYAN PLAN and that you make the deadline for those 55 and older crowd that will still have the benefits we have today. YOU DON"T CARE ABOUT THE OTHERS COMING UP BEHIND YOU – 'CAUSE YOU WILL GET YOURS ANYWAY. How Christian of you. NOT.

August 16, 2012 at 11:33 am |

Steveo

Cynthia,

YOU DON"T CARE ABOUT THE OTHERS COMING UP BEHIND YOU – 'CAUSE YOU WILL GET YOURS ANYWAY. How Christian of you. NOT.
---------
A whole lot of AS-SUMPTIONS. You accuse me of not caring about those coming behind me? Really? And you say all of this while supporting the guy who is ensuring the next generation is saddled with debt even BEFORE they get a chance to start? I remember Obma and MCcCain debating over axes and scalpels Where is the budget scalpel as we were promised? Why is the halving of the deficit as we were promised?

You now attack my Christianity? Yet you support the guy who wants his daughter to kill hs own grandchild in case she makes a mistake? Really Cynthia? Attack my Christainity all day because it makes ZERO impact on me. Yet it exposes you !

August 16, 2012 at 11:48 am |

Cynthia L.

Not attacking Christ BUT ATTACKING YOUR VERSION OF WHAT HE SAID ABOUT BROTHERHOOD and the GOLDEN RULE.

August 16, 2012 at 12:16 pm |

Steveo

Again,

What did Christ say about committing MURDER? Yet th eguy sYOU support says it's OK fo rhi sdaughter to do just that if she makes a "mistake".

My version of it? SO when the Bible says If a man does not work (one who is able), he does not eat. Is YOUR version "the government will take care of that"?

You mention brotherhood and the golden rule. That is good all but nothing golden about killing babies in the womb. Especially when the Bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. It also says God knew us while in the womb and has a plan for our lives BEFORE we were ever born. Yet the guy YOU support pooh poohs that! Yet MY version is under attack? Cool. Just be aware of what MYversion really is!

I haven't even talked about the recent "Evolution" which is ALSO against the Bible! But keep attacking my version if you will! It's all good! !

August 16, 2012 at 2:07 pm |

Cynthia L.

Yes, I am calling your beliefs out. Because you are williing to turn your head to another fact.

MITT ROMNEY has THREE SONS that have used "invitro fertilization' to give Mitt his grandchildren. Invitro involves artifical fertilization of SEVERAL eggs by inserting spermazoa outside of a woman's body in a lab. Sometimes, most often there are several eggs that are successfully fertilized which means some will be chosen to be implanted and some will be destroyed. Mitt, as he ran for Gov. of Mass., ran as a PRO-CHOICE CANDIDATE. Now he needs YOUR VOTE and all of a sudden this procedure (whether I agree with it or not -same as you) is going to be outlawed under the pressure of Evangelical groups. But, Mitt doesn't care HE ALREADY GOT WHAT HE WANTED – So BIG DEAL!
Don't demonized Obama over Mitt in this respect. We all have to face our maker in the end and all you have is simply the person you are, the life you have lived as individuals one-on-one with God. There are no secrets.
As long as we don't outlaw the killing of our soldiers for whatever whim of the moment, then we have have failed to protect the children that are already living. And, as long as we as a society turn our backs on hunger, and grievious poverty, then we have failed to protect life, ignoring the desperate circumstances of some who make choices we can't understand. Who are we to judge a person over another when we are not perfect? Only with God, one-on-one with us at the end of our own lives, will we ever know the bigger picture. And, if we loved enough – the same as others have to when they meet the same fate.

August 16, 2012 at 11:35 pm |

fran

that voucher plan has nothing to do with the seniors today it is meant for the age group that are in their 40-50 today and going into medicare in the future, I do not ilke vouchers, I am on medicare and as for us today it will stay the same, If Mii is gong to do this and that and Obama hasn:t done this or that, who do we vote for, no one has all the answers,

October 8, 2012 at 7:43 pm |

Judy

fat frank is at it again. His good job must be a no brainer because he hasent used the brain god gave him. isnt your name the same as that socialist guy??? or was he a commie???

August 16, 2012 at 12:03 am |

Frank Marshall Davis

He was an admitted communist and Obama's first mentor, handpicked by his grandparents. He may even be Obama's real father, but since Obama will never allow DNA tests we'll never know until probably years or decades from now.

August 16, 2012 at 4:34 am |

Cynthia L.

--AYN RAND-–

August 16, 2012 at 9:50 pm |

dallas gal

Cynthia....This is true and you probably don't like the fact he is a communist. Actions speak louder than words. Obama hasn't created jobs and has spent trillions of dollars. For your info we now pay millions of dollars to Russia to go to space with them...He told Pres of Russia after the election he will be able to do more things with them. He gave 2 billion to Brazil to drill & 1 billion to Columbia to build refineries. He is a Colialist hater. He keeps putting more people on welfare and food stamps. People are using stamps for vacations. Oh by the way, are you working or on all these programs. We may be bankrupt before election. How about all the hollow core bullets ordered by Social Security and other departments..like thousands of them. We can't use these bullits in the military. They are DEADLY. Is this because social security and other programs will be broke soon under Obama?.Military can't use these bullits. These bullits once inside the body defrag and you will most likely die. These bullits are not used for hunting animals or target practice. Obama appears now to be changing laws with executive orders and refuses to go thru Congress. Constitution he ignores.

.
Executive orders he uses them rather than go to Congress for approval.

August 18, 2012 at 3:06 pm |

bb

jUDY oBLUNDER AND BOZO BIDEN ARE COMMIES

August 16, 2012 at 10:08 am |

ataxed99er

Mitt is a sociopath by definition

Webster's Dictionarey defines a sociopath as an idividual affected with antisocial personality disorder.

DSM IV:

Definition of ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER
: a personality disorder that is characterized by antisocial behavior exhibiting pervasive disregard for and violation of the rights, feelings, and safety of others starting in childhood or the early teenage years and continuing into adulthood, that is often marked by a lack of remorse for having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from others

August 16, 2012 at 5:50 am |

bb

Sounds like Oblameo to me, except everything he has done wrong u Democraps say bush did. But its ok for Oblunder to do it. PULL YOUR HEAD OUT

August 16, 2012 at 9:53 am |

Steveo

Hey Doctor Phil! Don't quit your day job!

August 16, 2012 at 11:18 am |

Mack

Vulture and Vouchers plan to raise taxes on the middle class to pay for another tax cut for millionaires and billionaires, which they don't even need. They've already done quite well during the recession while the middle class has suffered.
Republicans are the party that wants to end SSN, Medicaire, Unemployment benefits and any other program that helps people who aren't wealthy.
The only people they want to help are the Koch boys, Shel Adelson, Mitt Romeny and all the other unpatriotic greed monsters who will never be satisfied until they own every single dollar on the planet.

August 16, 2012 at 9:31 am |

bb

Read the bill b-4 u embarass yourself any farther, it gives a choice of options, Not commie one way crap Oblunder tries to shove down your throat. Success is not a dirty word. Welfare leeches are

August 16, 2012 at 9:51 am |

Ray E. (Georgia)

Social Security, Medicare, Medicade, and a lot of other Big Programs are being propped up by borrowing 40 cents of every dollar the government spends. So ending all those Social Programs is just a matter of time as the money isn't there and hasn't for some time. In case you haven't noticed the country is nearly 16 Trillion dollard in debt. And in case you haven't noticed Obama has no plan to rein in the big Deficits on the horizion. So 4 more years of Omama will add another 4 to 6 Trillion to the Debt. You think you will escape the Fiscal Cliff?? Better think again. There is no free lunch. For the Record. Liberal's and Democrats want to run the country. But they want the Republicians and Conservatives to pay for it. You've heard Obama say it, time after time. The Rich ain't paying their fair share. Obama says WITH YOUR MONEY AND MY BRAINS, WE WILL GO PLACES. You got any money??

August 16, 2012 at 11:07 am |

Timmy Suckle

I kissed my way up to VP at a health insurance company. Now I take over $500,000 of your health care dollars for NO VALUE ADDED to your health care. And that’s just me. Now think about how many other VPs, Directors, Managers, etc. are at my company alone. Now multiply that by thousands of others at hundreds of other health insurance companies. From 10 to 25% of your health care dollars go towards administration that adds NO VALUE to your health care. But my company’s PAC dollars will continue to fool you little people into thinking that a single payer system will be bad. Little people like you are so easy to fool. Little people also don’t realize that a single payer system is the ONLY system that would allow little people (as an entire country) to negotiate better health care prices. Little people don’t realize that the Medical Cartels already know that. And that is the reason why the Medical Cartels spend so much PAC money from the hospitals and doctors lobbying against a single payer system. Some little people say that a single payer system would cost you little people more. But if that were true, then wouldn’t the hospitals and doctors WANT that extra money? Yes they would. So why do the Medical Cartels lobby against a single payer system? It’s because the Medical Cartels know it would allow little people to negotiate better health care prices. And that’s what the Medical Cartels are afraid of. Period.
But us big wigs at insurance companies, hospitals, and pharmacy companies don’t ever need to worry about health care no matter what it costs. We get our health care paid for one way or another by you little people. And we get the little people that work at our companies to contribute to our PACs. And us big wigs say it’s to protect the little peoples’ jobs. But in reality it would be in the little peoples’ best interest to NOT contribute to the PAC. Again, little people are so easy to be fooled. I won’t ever have to worry about losing my job with so many little people being brain washed by the Medical Cartels’ PAC money. Not only that, the Medical Cartels’ PAC money is used to elect so many republicans that will never allow a single payer system. Republicans have always fought against any meaningful health care reform. But that’s what our Medical Cartels’ PACs pay them for. Politicians can be bought so easily.
Pretty soon the only people that will be able to afford health care is us big wigs. And that’s the way it should be. We don’t want you little people using up the resources when we need them. And once again, I thank you little people for capping my SS tax at the $106,800 level. Now I only pay 1.3% SS tax and you little people pay 6.2%. Also, thank you for extending my tax breaks. I’m using the extra money on my vacation houses.

August 16, 2012 at 9:32 am |

bb

HOW CAN U TELL WHEN IS OBLUNDER LYING ??? ans: HIS PIE HOLE IS OPEN

August 16, 2012 at 9:49 am |

BLKMANnAmerica

at least you can tell. With repuks it's just a given they are bold faced LIERS.

August 16, 2012 at 11:09 am |

Lizzie

So who is lying, David Axelrod saying no money was taken from Medicare to fund the new healthcare law, or Pres.Obama in an interview on Natl. TV in 2009 saying he will veto any bill that would make the cuts invalid.

August 16, 2012 at 8:07 pm |

Lizzie

Same lie Cutter told on TV that she knows nothing about Joe Soptic wife's even after the conference call was made public, where he explained it to her. Or the lie that the WH does NOT coordinate with his super PAC, when his former chief of staff runs it. Or the lie that media matter and George Soros with the WH put out the stories to the main stream media to be run that day.

August 16, 2012 at 8:12 pm |

BLKMANnAmerica

GREAT, that's good Mr. President keep telling the American public what a JOKE Romney/Ryan are and how they will further DESTORE the American middle income people (just like GW Bush started). KEEP It up Sir and thank you.

August 16, 2012 at 11:08 am |

Jill

I have a good friend who is very healthy, 40's, runs her own CPA office (single employer), and she pays $19,000 year for major medical health insurance premium. Two grown children, one in college, no spouse. The plan also has a very high deductible. Another friend, a widow, age 58, pays $22,000 year, no children at home, and she is very healthy too. Her plan also has a very high deductible. Now my question is simply this, what good would Ryan's plan for premium support of $6500 a year do for a senior age 65 or older. There is no individual major medical insurance plan out there for them, and even if there was, $6500 would not put a dent in it. If you factor in the additional $20,000 or so they would have to put up for annual premium, plus the cost of a very high deductible, well I believe that most retired seniors would not be able to buy the insurance. That means we will probably have over 18 millions people over 65 who are uninsured. That's not a good plan. Sleep on it!

August 16, 2012 at 11:09 am |

Jill

The costs of 10 years of War. If the Iraq and Afghanistan wars cost approximately 2 billion dollars per day (per war), and this has been going on for 10 years, and we know that for the entire Bush era that the costs of these wars were not put in the budget, that all that did get paid for; military got paid, defense contractors got paid, Haliburton got paid, but it kept mounting like a big balloon until 2009 and that's big scratch. It has to be paid for by the American people and if that means a war tax assessed on everyone, including the rich that have already made money off of it, then so be it.

August 16, 2012 at 11:19 am |

Steveo

The SAME wars Dems voted to support AND FUND? Those wars?

August 16, 2012 at 11:23 am |

SafeJourney3

Steve, Romney and the GOP are touting Ryan as a fiscal conservative. Ryan is anything but a fiscal conservative.
Look at his voting record in congress.

August 16, 2012 at 11:53 am |

Steveo

SafeJourney3,
I will look up provded you look up Obama's voting record both in the US and Ill. Senate!

August 16, 2012 at 11:59 am |

Cynthia L.

And, while you're at it, read a book titled "The New-New Deal" by Michael Grunwald.

My experience with you Steveo, is that no matter how corrupt the practices of your own party, and their Corp/Wall Street Slum Lords, you are hoping the LORD WILL SAVE YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORKS which, seems to be a long shot.

August 16, 2012 at 1:18 pm |

Steveo

Cynthia L.
You are hoping the LORD WILL SAVE YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORKS which, seems to be a long shot.
---------
Is THAT what I hope Cynthia? No it's not a long shot it is a NO shot! SAVED BY GRACE NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANYONE SHOULD BOAST! It's grace and NOT works! Highly interesting how can determine what I hope! Isn't that judging? You may want to change the subject, you're getting this one wrong!

August 16, 2012 at 3:25 pm |

Steveo

Cynthia L,

Corruption, no matter what party is corruption! I despise rightist corruption just as much as I do leftist corruption! I told you that before! How do you feel about leftist corruption?

August 16, 2012 at 3:29 pm |

november2012

the cost of the Iraq war is $806 billion....our federal debt is $16,000,000,000,000, three years ago it was $9,000,000,000,000. So the war did not add much...obama however has increased the debt by about 60%...couldi you imagine what another four years of him will do to this country? Answer: destroy America...his apparent goal.

August 16, 2012 at 5:46 pm |

Steveo

He did say he would FUNDAMENTALLY change America. Most folks thought it was a cute catch phrase!

August 16, 2012 at 6:28 pm |

Cynthia L.

And the Evangelicals "Fundamentally want to change America', too. Keep YOUR RELIGION OUT OF MY LIFE!!

August 18, 2012 at 3:46 pm |

Judy

the president will win . All he has to do it keep telling the truth. Repos are a lying bunch of nuts. Look at the posts from bb howard and friken frank marshall. What a looney bunch. Tired of the same ol remarks year in year out, Ronmey won't release tax returns Ann says it will just give people more to amunition. Geer thats a good reason. We are crooks but we don't want you to know because you might not like it. Anyone who keeps their money off shore is avoiding paying taxes. Is this the kind of clown we want for president. A tax evading lier and eddy munster lets screw the elderly and middleclass clone. Forward 2012

The only blatant lie was "backed a bill that outlaws all abortions, even in cases of rape and incest." The truth is that it was actually Paul Ryan

August 16, 2012 at 3:29 pm |

Howard

Obama hasn't told the truth throughout his Presidency ... from his fabricated books ... to his promises of transparency ... this President has been able to hold onto power, because of gullible fools, like you, who choose to believe his lies, over the obvious reality. Evil has prevailed throughout history, because of fools like you, who support the wrong leaders, for all the wrong reasons. Eventually, history reveals these despots, and the fools who supported them, but only after a lot of damage and misery has occurred. Save America ... Dump Obama !!!

August 16, 2012 at 2:05 pm |

november2012

oh my...you are exhausted. you have spent too much energy defending the worst presidency in modern times. Take a few days off, maybe get some help for your addiction issues and we will see you next week.

>>The Mitt Romney campaign has a new talking point that it’s hitting hard: President Obama “robbed” Medicare of $716 billion to help pay for his health-care reform legislation. Is this assertion accurate?

Well, it is true that the Affordable Care Act – known to some as Obamacare – would reduce spending on Medicare by $716 billion from 2013 to 2022, according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis. It is also true that this reduction is used to offset spending on other ACA provisions.

However, the ACA does not literally lop this figure off Medicare’s bottom line. Most of these reductions would occur due to the fact that the law makes changes meant to lower future costs for the big health-care program for seniors.

For instance, the ACA cuts many of the payments Medicare makes in its fee-for-service system to hospitals, nurses, and other health-care providers. (Doctors would not be affected by this payment squeeze.) According to CBO, over the 10-year period it measured, Medicare payments for hospital services would go down by $260 billion, for instance. Payments for skilled nursing services would go down by $39 billion and for home health services by $33 billion.<<

So Obama will CUT spending, preserve health care access, and the republicans complain.....?

August 16, 2012 at 6:23 pm |

Ray E. (Georgia)

Humm,
Sixteen Trllion in debt and counting. It is time to end all Social Programs in the Federal Government. If the people in each State want to keep them, Modify them, dump them so be it. But the Federal Government has no business in the Medical Business, the Welfare Business or any other business.Write your Congressman and support ending all Social Programs in the Federal Government.

August 16, 2012 at 8:23 pm |

ataxed99er

Republicans consider all SS spending to be waste. It is not.

August 17, 2012 at 2:57 am |

tcjones1965

Hey, if I win the lottery, I'd like the same tax rate that Romney gets, 13% instead of 35%. So I could pay 100K instead of 5M.

The whiteboard was ridiculous and makes Romney appear inept and foolish. He is trying to convince Americans that his two column and four-rowed explanation is all it takes to save Medicare? That's totally moronic. I'm beginning to think this man named Romney is so out-of-touch and indoctrinated by GOP brain-washing, that if he did win the election, he'd sell the country out and then we'll see him pocket a bonus plus tax breaks for his cronies.

This is not Staples, Mr. Romney, and your degree field is English, right? So how does that convince me you're even qualified to summarize anything related to the economy? And Ryan is so structured within the ideology of the GOP that he cannot even dare think outside the "box" of party-lines to be even original in his thinking. That's where the GOP and Democrats differ. And they've, the GOP, have stonewalled, bellyached, lied, stolen, and who knows what else to defame the Democratic Party and President Obama it's not even funny. It's disgraceful.

The GOP is a classic example of an "Ideology of Fallacy" which doesn't lend anything to progress or teamwork. The majority of them appear to be "flakes," who need to be removed from office because they are destructive and their rhetoric is very dangerous to the country and people.

August 17, 2012 at 3:39 am |

tcjones1965

Hey, if I win the lottery, I\'d like the same tax rate that Romney gets, 13% instead of 35%. So I could pay 100K instead of 5M.

The whiteboard was ridiculous and makes Romney appear inept and foolish. He is trying to convince Americans that his two column and four-rowed explanation is all it takes to save Medicare? That\'s totally moronic. I\'m beginning to think this man named Romney is so out-of-touch and indoctrinated by GOP brain-washing, that if he did win the election, he\'d sell the country out and then we\'ll see him pocket a bonus plus tax breaks for his cronies.

This is not Staples, Mr. Romney, and your degree field is English, right? So how does that convince me you're even qualified to summarize anything related to the economy? And Ryan is so structured within the ideology of the GOP that he cannot even dare think outside the "box" of party-lines to be even original in his thinking. That\'s where the GOP and Democrats differ. And they've, the GOP, have stonewalled, bellyached, lied, stolen, and who knows what else to defame the Democratic Party and President Obama it's not even funny. It's disgraceful.

The GOP is a classic example of an "Ideology of Fallacy" which doesn't lend anything to progress or teamwork. The majority of them appear to be "flakes," who need to be removed from office because they are destructive and their rhetoric is very dangerous to the country and people.

August 17, 2012 at 3:41 am |

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August 19, 2012 at 12:03 am |

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August 26, 2012 at 5:06 am |

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